Where The Wounds Are
by mirrorOfsin
Summary: He imagined she never looked away as the spear pieced through him. Ares/Athena. Warnings inside.


**A/N:** For Chloe x - the wound is one inflicted on him during the Trojan War by Diomedes.

**Warnings:** language, sexual content - slight non-con and just angst.

Where The Wounds Are

He imagined she never looked away as the spear pieced through him. When he had screamed the sound of ten thousand men and his blood dripped upon the Earth, he knew she would not have flinched. He had not known that this pain was caused by her hand until a lot later, when his mother had made a scathing remark about being beaten once more by the grey-eyed goddess and her mortal.

"You did not know that it was by her hand the mortal wounded you?" she enquired, tilting her head to the right and a small smile tipped the corners of her lips. He did not care for her smile or that she, like all the others, treated him with contempt but he did care about this revelation.

"No," he muttered and strode away whilst Hera watched him with a full smirk now on her face.

In the hidden safety of his temple he struck his fist against a marble column forming a deep crack and he cursed loudly. He leaned his forehead against the cool surface and felt a strange stinging sensation for a moment in his chest. He closed his eyes and saw her face, beautiful, calm and knowing. Had it just been the mortal only his pride would have suffered but now he felt something more, an unsettling sense of hurt and anger.

She should have faced him herself instead of hiding but he wondered if he could have fought her. It was different having armies fight each other but to take arms against her, to swing the blade and strike her down… Despite how much he loathed her, and she him, he didn't think he could.

But she could – and would – it seemed and he struck the column again in frustration.

She passed by him in the council hall, barely glancing at him though at the last moment she did catch his eye. He felt a surge of conflict emotions rise and he half wanted to scream and lash out and the other… his chest constricted again and he was left standing there with his fists clenched at his side as he tracked her every movement away from him.

/x/

He forgot her name, wasn't even sure that he had asked. All he knew was that she was beautiful and eager to please. His hand fisted in her dark hair – a feature he consciously sought for – and pulled her head back to drag his mouth down her neck. She wasn't _her_ but she would do. He heard and felt her moans erupt from her throat and he wanted to get lost in her. He fucked her without a thought for her, using her body to satisfy his hunger. He drove harder and faster into her, hands grabbing and his mouth punishing and soon the moans became whimpers. It has started off well, she had liked the rough treatment he had given her but now there was more pain then pleasure and she tried to push him off.

"Please," she gasped and then cried out when he bit hard at the point where her pulse raced at the base of her neck. "Please! Stop!"

He didn't listen, her hands pushed and even hit him but he didn't mind the blows. He ignored her tears and pleas till eventually he reached his release and moved off of her. She curled up wiping her eyes and stayed silent as he moved around to find some wine. He didn't look at her until he told her gruffly to go home. She gathered her tunic and donned it quickly before fleeing from his temple and he felt the familiar disgust settle.

They always fled from him in the end, unable to handle the violence that was inevitable with him. A thought entered his mind, a thought that he had no right to think. He thought only she, the grey-eyed one, could ever possibly handle the violence since she was just as capable of inflicting it as much as he was. But that could never be and he tossed his empty cup aside, dressed and picked up his sword. Nothing made him feel more alive than a fuck and a fight and he had only done one so far, itching to rectify the other.

/x/

He grabbed her and shoved her hard against a pillar but no sound escaped her though her eyes, those large storm-grey eyes, widened. He didn't apologise for his treatment, his grip on her left wrist was tight and he crowded in so that she was firmly pressed between marble and him. She was unlike all the others, they would have pleaded or cried but she just watched him calmly though he knew that he was hurting her.

He wore no mask now, his usual façade of brooding arrogance was dropped and instead she saw always that anger that rose whenever he was near her and, her eyes widened even more, frustrated desire. He didn't know where it had come from only that every time he closed his eyes he saw her and she evaded his thoughts constantly. He had no idea what he was doing and she waited for him to decide. He brought his free hand to wrap his fingers around her neck carefully but still she made no sound even when he pressed down slightly. He could feel her pulse, strong and steady and he swept his hand down to rest on her collarbone before moving again settling above her heart…

"You must stop," she ordered quietly and he met her eyes. He could not read her expression but did not remove his hand from her. Instead he slipped his hand down between her breasts and over her waist before settling on her hip.

"You are treading a dangerous path," she warned him as he pressed his face against her neck and fingers curled into her side.

"When have I ever not?" he breathed hotly. "Athena, let me…"

"You would force yourself upon me?"

He drew back and she faced him with a set jaw. She was the warrior now and he had to look away from that face that almost _dared _him to do it – to really show her how depraved he could be. He swallowed thickly and his thoughts were in turmoil. Then he felt her hands press against his chest, not pushing exactly and she said his name quietly as he looked at her helplessly.

"No," she murmured holding his gaze. "You would not try."

He hated her as much as he desired her. She never trembled, even when he leaned into her once more.

"I could do it," he breathed and she tilted her head in acknowledgment. He was right that physically he was stronger and he would probably succeed, especially considering their current position but he made no move to do so and her hands slowly drifted, almost idly, down his chest.

"Yes," she caught his gaze and held it. "But the punishment if you did would be so severe… the pain far worse than any wound inflicted on the battlefield."

She pressed her hands hard against his abdomen and he sucked in a breath. They both knew to what she referred to. Beneath her palms his unmarred skin burned. It was like she was driving yet another spear into him, reopening the wound that she had caused before.

He moved back just a fraction but it was enough for her to slip away and disappear, leaving him aching in her wake.

/x/

He felt her sigh fall against his lips as she gazed up at him. The dark fire in his eyes threatened to spill out and consume him completely and he wanted her to catch light too.

"Will you never learn, Ares?" she murmured with some wonder in the voice.

No, it appeared he would not.

Her fingers left a burning trail as they lightly brushed down his arm. She was heartlessly teasing him and his throat felt tight as every muscle tensed beneath her touch. Only he ever truly saw the cruelty that lurked beneath her cool serenity that masked all her imperfections. He gripped her wrist as her fingers glided over his chest, nearing his heart and he didn't want her to feel his thundering pulse. Her lips quirked in the corners as she lowered her eyes to see his fingers tightly wound around her, shackling her to him.

"You are cruel, Athena," he said softly by her ear. "Crueller than any other I have known."

"But is that not precisely what you wish for?" she raised her head in order to look at him. He didn't have to answer for they both knew that it was true.

"My suffering is your joy."

"How truly heartless I am," she murmured with a tone of mockery in her voice and he tightened his grip even more.

"Do not mock. You _are_ heartless for hurting me like you did."

"You had to be stopped," she countered. "Besides, you have not scarred. There is no trace at all."

"But I still _feel_ it."

She considered this for a moment, a small flicker of almost concern in her eyes appeared before it was gone and she wriggled her wrist and he let her go. He was surprised when she raised her hands, gently cupping his face and her long fingers stroked over his cheekbones and jaw.

"Perhaps, then, I should be crueller still," she whispered seeing the unease in his eyes. "A kiss to torment you."

She pressed her lips against his for a full moment and his heart stopped its beat. Even she could not hide the faintest flush as she stepped back.

"Athena," he croaked and tried to reach for her.

But she turned on her heel and fled leaving him with his wound and heart burning, twin points of love and agony.

_fin._

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><p>AN: Reviews are love x


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